The National Park Service recently announced it is seeking proposals for operation of a popular snack bar in Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts.
The facility is located at Herring Beach just outside the community of Provincetown on the north end of the seashore. The currently closed snack bar includes a full kitchen and separate storage facility. It is part of a large outdoor covered patio with picnic tables and a restroom.
Frequent seashore visitors consider this to be one of Cape Cod's premier beach areas. The national seashore was established in 1961 and protects 40 miles of coastline. Seashore visitation is seasonal, resulting in the snack bar operation beginning Memorial Day weekend and closing the second Monday in October.
The snack bar generated revenues of $210,357 during the 2023 season, down somewhat from $236,490 the prior year. Approximately 80 percent of revenues originated from food and beverage. Alcohol sales (permitted, but not required) generated the remainder of the revenue.
The Park Service authorizes, but does not require, the operator to sell convenience items and to offer food and beverage sales at other locations within the national seashore.
The business has a relatively low entry expense estimated by the Park Service at $101,000, half of which is for personal property (fixtures, furniture, equipment). Other up-and-running expenditures will be required for inventory hiring, and training employees, marketing, etc. The concessionaire will be required to remit a minimum of 5 percent of gross revenues to the seashore.
Bidders for the business are permitted to offer a higher franchise fee to improve the chance of winning the 10-year contract.
Interested partiues are required to submit a notice of intent to offer a proposal by 4 p.m. EST on August 20. Electronic proposals are due by 4 p.m. EST on September 17.
The Park Service will conduct a site visit to the property on June 26. individuals intending to attend the site visit must contact concession specialist Katie Trudeau by 4 p.m. on June 24. E-mail addresses and more detailed information about the site visit and proposal process are available at this page.
David and Kay Scott live in Valedosta, Georgia, and are authors of "Exploring the Oregon Trail: America's Historic Road Trip" (Globe Pequot). Visit them at blog.valdosta.edu/dlscott.
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